Improvement in automatic check-row corn-planter



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Lcttc'rs'Pzl/tent No. 92,616, dated July 13, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN AUTOMATIC, CHECK-ROW CORN-PLANTER.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

Tol all whom it may concem Be it known that I,-Jo1-IN-L. Knurnun, of Chestnut Level, m the county of Lanc'aster, and State of Bennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements on Seed-Plantcrs, constituting auauto-` matic checker corn-plantcr, together with pumpkin- .seed and phosphates, and the like; and I do hereby declare that the following is a clear and'exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanyiug drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Il'igure 1 is a perspective v'iew, with the hopper uncovered, showing one side, adapted for ordinary planting, the other side for hill-planting, and also pumpkinseeds, with a scraper-attachment, to replace the'scoring-shovels, or an ordinary shovel-han'ow, when the machine is be used for cultivating the soil.

Figure 2 shows a vertical or plan view of the same.

Hl'i'gure 3 illustrates the levers and appliances to operate the several valves, and for shifting and stopping their action.

li'igure 4 is a modiication of the same.

lfigure 5 further illustrates the action of the valve for the pumpkin-seed chamber.

'Figure 6 illustrates the hub-box, and mode of increasing the radius of the wheel, by means of a separate internal-notched ring, fitted around the axle-pipe, within the box of. the hub.l

Figure 7 shows a modification' of the 'mode for adjusting the drum on theaxle-pipe or sleeve.

Figure 8, an ordinary adjustable shovel-harrow, adapted,-f like the scraper, to be applied to the dragbar of the machine. A

The injature. of my improvements consists inI the modecf Operating the action of the valvcs, toact in concert with the pulley-wheels on the rim of the Wheels, or on the end of the spokes, so-as vto both cmnpensate for loss or gain, and be governed by the furrow to regulate' and automatically adjust itself, in dropping, by means of the furrowl or 'scoring previously lnadc by the machine, iu a nianner to produce' or plant corn checker-fashion, equidistant apartfby driving' at right angles across-the furrows; also, in the lnanner of guiding the machine so asl to correct any irregularit-y in the walk of the hcrses attached, besides the adjnstment of the drum on the'axle, .to alrange it to the slower or faster gait or walk of the horses cmployed in the work, in order that the seed islodged at the proper time and place.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use' my invention, I will proceed to explain. the several parts in their construction and operation;

The wheels have a hub-box, cast with a sleeve to fit around the spindle of the axle 6 10, and notches for the receptiou of the spokes. Oentrally there is a space for the rcception of an annularnotehed disk, 7 to be used only when'1 :it is desirable to increase the radial length of the spokes 4 5, to separatel or widen the distance between the hills w Fig. 6 illustrates, by the upper half, this wheel without said ring 7, and the lower half, with it in place,

and iucreasedcircumference of the wheel.

Every third spoke has a pulley-wheel or segmental' wheel, (which, by'its gravity, would be in the position, and would roll a half round, being suiiicient to make the adjustment, which I deem an equivalent.)

These pulleys are so calculatcd as to strike the furrow, each as it comes under the spoke, when the latter is vertical.

The distance between the furrows 'being' traversed vby the spokes4, with their wideued tread, if a change of the soil, stone, or other impediment, would cause the pulley-spoke to come on the onteredge of the furrow, it would tend to carry that spoke either back or forward into the furrow, down the inclined sides, thereby governing'the action of the valves, iu unison with the Vertical position of the respective spoke and pulley, which are calculated to strike the ground only iu each furrow.

The drum X, which is a cylinder' slipped over the slceve 10, on the hub-box (i, is provided with two rows of pins, x, set alternating, so that thepins in one row are centrally opposite the space between the pins of the other row.

This drum is shown with notches,\or teeth, to fit' into corresponding notches in the hub-box, and secured by a set-screw, acting in a groove in the pipe, by which it is both held against and rev'olved with the hub-box ancLwheel, as well as adj usted by means of the set-screw.

Fig. 7 illustrates a more convenient mode for securing and adjusting' the drum, by having a spring, 12, flush in a groove on the outer surface of the. drum, and secured near the hub-box by va rivet, projecting forward with a thumb-and-finger hold, and provided with a pin, 13, on its under surface, so as to vextend through the drum, and into a hole in the sleeve of the hub-box, so a's to combine the two, by making a'scries of such holes in the sleeve aforesaid.

By means of the spring-catch, the drum, with. its Operating-pins, is' readily adjusted, and is more couvenient than a set-screw, as first shown.

A bearing, Z, over the axle, sustains a v'I'tca-lshaft by means of screw-burrs Y Y.

On this suspended shaft or pivot is a half-moon cam, J, (with a'n arm, j,) over the pins X on the drum, in such a manner th t the pins come alternately'in contact on one side of the diameter, and then the other,' so as to cause said cam to vibrate on its pivot-shat't,

turning its arm j alternately to the right and left.

The rounded face of the cam in front causes itto rise upwards, when hacking the machine, so as not to vibratethe arm. that actuates the valves.

The compoundlevcrs T and U, for raisingthe dragbar V and its appliances, also raises the cam J, when* not desired to plant, as in going to or from the field.

As it is suflicicnt to drop pumpkin-seed only every other row, and, say, only to every sixth hill of corn, the pumpkin-seeder need only be attached to the one side of the machine, and operated every sixth action of the valves that drop the corn and fertilizers orphosphates.

Theivacant chamber 2', on the other side of the hopper, will form a convenient tool-box.

The pumpkin-valve P, in the central chamber 2, is between but disconnected from the other -valves O and Q,- lip. i 4

The valves O and Q are united, outside, with a widened cross-piece, which supports a star-cam, L, of six points, (more or less, if desircd.) One of said points is provided with a pin.

In connect-,ion with the star-cam, there is 'a click, ll/I, bearing against the points, aided by a spring, m.

vOn the opposite side of said star-cam is' also a spring, 11, to prevent aretrogradc movement.

The united cross-piece of both the valves O Q, is connected, by a rod, K, with rthe lever-arm j of the cam J aforesaid, operated .by the pins on the drum X, pushing the combined valves 'iu and drawing them out of the hopper-chambers, each motion causing the clicKto turn the star-cam one point, till that point comes under the tongue Vof the valve 1,), which has a pln.

This pin engagcs to'the lip iouthc under side of the tongue, and draws the valve P out, when the click lnoves the point from under, and the next motion pushes the valve back again, where it remains stationary until the star-cam has made a revolution, when it again is drawln out by the pin and lip-connection. Thus, one'. motion is given to the valve P to every six of the combined valves O and Q.

Fig. 4 shows a modified `arrangement of a double- 'alve action, without the pnmpkin-seed valve' between them. It consists in the use of two combined valves O Q, (or 15 and 16,) sliding in and out alternately, for single planting. V

From the base of the' bearing Z an arm textends, on which a vibrat-ing lever, 17,,is held centrally by a pivot, one end of which is connected to lone pair of valves, and the other end to the second 01' other pair of valves, and derives its motion bybeing also connected by the inner end with'the arm j on the cam J, by a rod, K, as before, and operated by'the drum X, in the manner explained. i

The lever S, with its turned end s, is for the purpose of arresting the motion of the wheel, so arranged as to engage with a stop only when apulley-spoke is verticakl, so that in starting, or when turning, the machine travels 011 the pulley until brought in position in a furrow, in order to produce unity of action, or to correct an yaccidental error indueed by peculiarcircumstances, and to have more perfect control to iusure regular action and uniformity-in the distance of the hills, be the soil nndulating or otherwise irregular from clods` or stones.

In addition, I also provide a guide-level' pole, F, in

v connection with the ordinary vrigid pole E, upon the end of which the guide-pole is seeured by a pivot-bolt, j, upon 'which it turns.

To the projecting end of this guide-pole F the neckyoke G is hung.

This pole is carried back, forming a long lever, with a handle fo1the driver, seatcd ou the hopper-boX, by which hecan guide the rigid pole, so as to keep it in the true onward direction, howevcr the horses may deviate to the right or left. Such deviation is readil y counteraeted by the lcver-pole, and its 'action on the rigidv o1- ordinary pole.

and is provided with a, projecting tongue and' *Jamo 2 For the purpose of looking, so as to prevent the lever-pole from turning on its pivot, in driving to or from'the field, it is only necessary to insert a hcaded pin, i, through both poles, which will arrest its turning.

The a-ppliances for Operating the valves can be readily rcmoved with the scoring-shovels s s, bolted on the boot B B, through which the elastic spout convcys the grain in the ordinary manner.

'l'he boot itself can also be detached from the draglbar, and scrapers or cultiyators fastened to them instead, for the several uses to which the machine may be put, as will readilysuggest itself to every practical farmer. l

I also show an elougated double-tree, C, with holes through the outer ends, so that the single-trees D can be put so far apart, and the adjustment made in the neck-yoke G, that tworows of furrows can be worked between the horses, in which case the middle shovel isJ'emoved from the harrow, fig.`8.

Should it be desirable to bring the Wheels out of the furrow, and work the soil between ,the furrows, and so as to have only a single row between the horses, (in which case the middle shovel remains in the harrow, fig. 8,) it is only necessary to lturn the box-hub on its long spindle, thereby reversing the whecls, bringing them closer together, when the machine is used for other purposes than for planting.

It is thedcsire to make the machine applicable to .the severalnses intimated, and is practically less comdrop between pulleys, and extension-hub or spoke device, together with the guide-pole, for steering the machine, and mode of expanding the single-trees.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The pulley-wheel 5, 01'. its cquivalent, on the outer rim of a wheel or spoko, to adjust andregulate the same to the seeding or dropping-apparatus, by means of a mark 'or fur-row, for cliecker-planting inor between the furrows. r y

2. The .arrangement of the box-hub 6 with its tending the radiu's of the spokes 4 5, in combination with the pulley-Wheels, constructed substantially'in the manner and for the purpose speeified. 4

- 3. The arrangement of the drum X with its double row of pins x, in combination with the half-circula1-' cam J, with its lever-arm j and connecting-rod K, to operateth'e single or double pair of slide-valves O Q, in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

4. The star-cam L, iu combination with the click M, springs 'm a, and valve P, with its tongue and lip operated by the joint' action of the combined valves O Q, at certain fixed intervals, in the manner and for the purpose dcscribed.

5. The lever-guide pole F, when connected to the end of an ordinary rigid pole E, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specilied.

` JOHN L. KREIDER.

Witncsses:

JAcon I). GOMPF, lJacob STAUFFER;

plicatcd than would seem by the lengthy description.

double-slide valves, the self-adjustihg spoke or wheelsleeve 10, with or without the'notched' ring 7, for exp 

